This invention relates generally to athletic shoes, and more particularly, pertains to a species of formed zippered pocket arranged laterally of the shoe and finding use in storage of personal items such as coins or keys to be accessible to a jogger or another athlete. A second species is taught in my related co-pending application, numbered Ser. No. 505,134 and filed concurrently herewith.
Portability of personal items during a period of exercise or athletic activity has always been sought, the desirability being most apparent when a jogger desires to be unfettered during, for example, the course of a cross-country exercise. Various means have been employed for assuring the safety of one's personal items, particularly where the items include currency. For example, in the early U.S. Patent to Diemer, U.S. Pat. No. 654,388, means were disclosed for securing valuables within the calf portion of a shoe, and more specifically, upon its internal portion that rests against the leg. Other approaches to securing one's valuables have included various types of pocket structures used in association particularly with boots. Noteworthy are those disclosed in U.S. Patents to Wirsching, U.S. Pat. No. 2,289,341; McAuslin, 1,100,758 and Avis, 1,342,149.
More modernly considerable thought has been given to various types of structures for forming pockets within shoes and boots while requirements for decorativeness have been satisfied through the addition of a purse or the like attached to the front of the shoe upper. In such instances, additional holding means have been provided for securing the same to the laces of the shoe. Certain of these developments are represented by U.S. Patents to Corley, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,908,982; Bliese, 3,018,570; Solomon, 2,712,700 and Perry, U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,677. In each instance, the utility has been provision of means for holding some personal item, such as money, in a concealed fashion upon its wearer.
Recent advances in the art have suggested provision of a pocket part that can be built structurally integrally of the quarter part or portion of the shoe so as to hold smaller personal items, such as keys and money, while further incorporating, in certain instances, a flap that protectingly covers the pocket and further enhances the ability of the shoe to prevent untimely loss of such items. Structure of the sort having the utility described is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,559 issued to Gamm. An alternative is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,287 issued to Gulbransen which provides a teaching of a flat sheet of material fastened to the outer side of either the left or right athletic shoe of the user. The sheet is fastened by stitching, riveting, gluing or the like, or, may be formed integrally with the athletic shoe upper. The sheet of material is mounted behind the normal crease area of an athletic shoe which normally parallels the juncture of the toes with the sole of the human foot. A compartment having an opening at one end thereof is formed by the flat sheet of material during construction of the shoe. The opening is placed higher than the remaining part of the compartment. The sheet of material is fastened to the upper of the athletic shoe generally parallel to the tongue thereof. Additionally, there is provided a closure flap having closure means for sealing the opening of the compartment. Suggested closure means include zippers, a Velcro fastener (hook and pile closure), snaps, buttons or any other means that serve the purpose.
In my related co-pending application numbered Ser. No. 505,134, filed June 16, 1983, certain variations in and modifications to structurally integrally formed pockets are disclosed. As will be apparent from a reading of the specification thereof, simplicity of fabrication of component parts and ease of formation of the same into an assembled shoe have been goals remaining to be completely attained. From a view of the prior art cited hereinabove, a conclusion is readily derived that ease of fabrication and assembly, along with cost reduction in provision of athletic shoes provided with functional zippered pockets are areas of desirable technological advance in the art.